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Trailer Loading Help


New2Texas

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:unsure: Hello everyone, We have just picked up a 1996 Sunsetter LX and experienced our maiden voyage today!!! We have been wakeboarding for may years but this is our first boat and I am hoping the community can help me with a question regarding loading the boat onto the trailer. It is a 2 axle trailer and I had both wheels just submerged on the ramp, as I drove the boat up onto the trailer I realized that the nose was significantly lower than the roller/winch. I reversed the trailer into the water further and eventually hooked on and pulled out but I feel that the trailer was much deeper than needed. Is there a technique which I am not aware of or would it be something to do with the ramp decline ratio?

Is there a guide with which someone can share?

Thank you in advance,

Edited by New2Texas
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There is a long thread about this somewhere on here. Bottom line is you were probably too deep to begin with. The boat needs to contact the front of the main V-bunks (the long ones) to push the nose up and over the front roller.

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There is a long thread about this somewhere on here. Bottom line is you were probably too deep to begin with. The boat needs to contact the front of the main V-bunks (the long ones) to push the nose up and over the front roller.

It felt like I was too deep! :blush:

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It depends on the steepness of the ramp, but I always back in until the top of my front fender on my tandem trailer is just barely showing. Powerload slowly and let the bunks do the rest.

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It depends on the steepness of the ramp, but I always back in until the top of my front fender on my tandem trailer is just barely showing. Powerload slowly and let the bunks do the rest.

That's very helpful, thank you. :thumbup:

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It depends on the steepness of the ramp, but I always back in until the top of my front fender on my tandem trailer is just barely showing. Powerload slowly and let the bunks do the rest.

This is what I do as well, It works most places.

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I have a 95, same deal. It's a whacky angle, I wish the v thing was located in a different spot.

I know some folks roll the trailer back deep, to wet the bunks, then pull it out to the desired point.

The shallower the trailer, the earlier the boat is on the bunks and at the correct angle to approach the winch. The problem is friction though of course.

I get my trailer back so the water is more than half-way to the front of the trailer fender.

Hope this helps,

Steve B.

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This is what I do as well, It works most places.

Also do the same as above

Make sure you back the trailer far enough to get the bunks wet then pull up until the front of the fender comes out of the water

On some ramps the boat will not come forward all the way under power

In this situation just back up a little

Done

In time you'll have a spot on the trailer , be second nature

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One thing I'd recommed is when you launch next time back slowly into the water and take note of where the trailer is at as the boat starts to float. That could serve as a starting point when loading the boat later. My wife always backs in to dip the bunks and then pulls up to the correct depth when we load. Just make sure whatever you are doing around the trailer, you do it SLOWLY. Hitting stuff hurts a lot less when you're going slow :lol:

Also, I would always error on the side of having the trailer too shallow than too deep. If you are too shallow, you can back in a little further to finish powering/winching up. If you are too deep, you can end up floating over the bunks and hitting the trailer itself (unfortunately I did this when we first got our boat).

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We wet the bunks and then pull out until the fenders show. Sometimes we need to power load, steeper ramps, other times we glide on. Either way make sure horsepower does the work. No need to crank......

My wife is in the boat, I deal with the rig, has worked well for 20+ years, she was a pro after the first couple of tries. I'd be surprised if I load the boat once every couple of years.

Edited by dlb
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I had alot of friction issues as well, then I sprayed the bunks with the silicon lube and now no issue at all. have the front of the fender just showing, hit the trailer and power to the desired point with no effort.

also the offload is alot better, and I am in the saltwater so the less I have to back in the better.

now the down side is I am sure if I forget to hook up properly the boat is coming off just as easy onto the concrete...........

I have a 95, same deal. It's a whacky angle, I wish the v thing was located in a different spot.

I know some folks roll the trailer back deep, to wet the bunks, then pull it out to the desired point.

The shallower the trailer, the earlier the boat is on the bunks and at the correct angle to approach the winch. The problem is friction though of course.

I get my trailer back so the water is more than half-way to the front of the trailer fender.

Hope this helps,

Steve B.

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I go to severa different lakes and ramps, and the lakes I go to are up and down alot (flood control), so it seems like every load is a new adventure.

My wife or sons are always in the boat, I am always with the truck and trailer.

I back in the get the bunks wet and then pull forward until the front of the fender is out of the water (tandem). Then they drive the boat on, usually it glodes all but the last little bit. I used to always have them power up, but since I am there anyway i have winched the last little bit lately. With everything wet, the boat slides up easily.

Some notes -

I always hook on the winch and safety strap before I pull away.

Never get your body or body parts between the boat path and trailer.

Stay calm and ignore everyone around you.

Welcome to the club!

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Thanks everyone. Awesome comments. I plan on taking her out again tomorrow and will certainly put your suggestions to practice.

:clap:

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OK, so I have just returned from the ramp after successfully loading the boat on the trailer as directed. Seamless performance. Thanks everyone. :thumbup:

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Take it really easy on the "power loading" at the boat ramp. Power loading on some boat ramps cause serious wash-out and take material away from the base of the ramp. Many of ours in Michigan are concrete and at the end where the lake bottom meets the concrete, the lake bottom gets washed out and actually digs out underneath the ramp. If you drop your trailer wheels past the edge, you'll be lucky to pull it back out. I've seen lots of trailers get hooked on the cement edge and are unable to come up over the edge again. Most of the time it is unnecessary to back the trailer in that deep but if someone does it will be trouble. I help maintain our launch ramp on the private lake we live on. We torpedo power loaders regularly. :biggrin: Be safe and enjoy that Malibu!

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martinarcher

OK, so I have just returned from the ramp after successfully loading the boat on the trailer as directed. Seamless performance. Thanks everyone. :thumbup:

Thumbup.gif Gotta love advice from a group of experts. I've seen a half a dozen crew members pull Bu's out faster than some guys can back their trailers down the ramp. Rockon.gif Just like anything else, the more you do it the better you get at it.

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Take it really easy on the "power loading" at the boat ramp. Power loading on some boat ramps cause serious wash-out and take material away from the base of the ramp. Many of ours in Michigan are concrete and at the end where the lake bottom meets the concrete, the lake bottom gets washed out and actually digs out underneath the ramp. If you drop your trailer wheels past the edge, you'll be lucky to pull it back out. I've seen lots of trailers get hooked on the cement edge and are unable to come up over the edge again. Most of the time it is unnecessary to back the trailer in that deep but if someone does it will be trouble. I help maintain our launch ramp on the private lake we live on. We torpedo power loaders regularly. :biggrin: Be safe and enjoy that Malibu!

Wanted to hi-light this. Our ramp is the same. Thankfully, I haven't made that mistake. Also, take note as water drops you may be forced to get the trailer farther down the ramp, getting you near that edge.

Maybe some day when no ones at the ramp, walk down it and find out where the cement ends. Be careful !

Steve B.

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Take it really easy on the "power loading" at the boat ramp. Power loading on some boat ramps cause serious wash-out and take material away from the base of the ramp. Many of ours in Michigan are concrete and at the end where the lake bottom meets the concrete, the lake bottom gets washed out and actually digs out underneath the ramp. If you drop your trailer wheels past the edge, you'll be lucky to pull it back out. I've seen lots of trailers get hooked on the cement edge and are unable to come up over the edge again. Most of the time it is unnecessary to back the trailer in that deep but if someone does it will be trouble. I help maintain our launch ramp on the private lake we live on. We torpedo power loaders regularly. :biggrin: Be safe and enjoy that Malibu!

Very good point, Woody. We have the same issue on our private lake and people simply don't get it. I don't power load. I pull up until the resistance stops the boat, hop off and attached the winch strap and pull her in. It's the best way to go without question. Living near the ramp, I watch the idiots all the time and have all sorts of desire to politely tell them the proper way to load however my wife is always telling me that would not be appropriate. :crazy:

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Following on from correct loading technique...

What should you do if pull the boat out of the water and realize that it isn't high enough on the trailer? I assume that you re-dunk and readjust, right? Someone told me you could park downward facing on a hill and winch her on.

your thoughts?l

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I agree with the "no-powerloading" philosophy. Really bad for the launch. Even if the concrete is 30 ft back beyond the boat, you are still washing out whatever is past the concrete, that prop generates a lot of wave. A couple of other thoughts:

- Don't let anyone get in between the car and trailer (like to winch it) without the car in park.

- Adjust by re-dunking. Just not worth the risk of that winch snapping.

- I hook my bow safety strap before pulling the rig out, with my fenders still in the water. I just don't trust the winch alone.

- Conversely, I leave the safety strap hooked 'till fenders are in the water

- If you don't have a set of transom straps, you should get some. Your boat may move around a bit from side to side if you hit any big bounces, and transom straps will prevent that.

Our water is turning to ice here in Michigan!

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Great advice. The water in Texas is cold as ice, I tested my the wake surf set up on the weekend and had to jump in the water to set the manual wedge in position.

What are some boat ramp etiquette / guidelines that a newbie like me should adhere to? ;)

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One other thing about power loading, it is possible to wreck the prop on the prop cage, I don't know how it happened, but I have not had any problem since I went to the glide on and then crank the last foot or so. The only other problem I have every once in awhile is the boat not sitting square on the trailer at the back., if it's off by a few inches the hull chine will sit on top of the runner instead of inside the runner.

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